Alternative History
Alternative History

The Western States Congress is the main body of the legislative branch of the WS Government. Congress is made up by the House of Representatives, containing 160 representatives (as of the 1930 census) elected for two year terms, and the Senate, containing three senators from every state that are chosen for six year terms. Congress is responsible for making the laws of the Western States. The expansion to three senators per state compared to two in the old United States Congress was done for multiple reasons. First, it would allow each state to have a senatorial election scheduled every two years, rather than the old system where states could go four years between senatorial elections. Secondly, it expanded the number of members in the body to account for the country's fewer number of states.

The House of Representatives is led by the Speaker of the House, elected of the House's members by the House's members. The Senate is led by the President of the Senate, the Vice President of the Western States.

List of Congresses[]

The main purpose of this article is to list the various Congresses, their party composition, and their leadership. Though membership often changed during the course of each individual Congress, due to member deaths, resignations, or recalls, the membership listed below represents the composition of each Congress at its beginning.


1st Congress[]

January 3, 1931-January 3, 1933

1stWSCongressBNM

Senate

1stWSHouseBNM

House

Note: All members of the First Congress were constitutionally prohibited from joining any political party or other such organization.


Membership[]

Nonpartisan Total
Senate 42 42
House of Representatives 160 160


Leadership[]

President of the Senate: George Dern

Speaker of the House: Willis C. Hawley


2nd Congress[]

January 3, 1933-January 3, 1935

2ndWSSenateBNM

Senate

2ndWSHouseBNM

House

Membership[]

Conservative Liberal Progressive Total
Senate 20 6 16 42
House of Representatives 68 22 70 160


Leadership[]

President of the Senate:

George Dern (P), until January 20, 1934 [Not reelected]

Arthur Vandenberg (C), from January 20, 1934

Speaker of the House: Clarence F. Lea (L)


3rd Congress[]

January 3, 1935-January 3, 1937

3rdWSSenateBNM

Senate

3rdWSHouseBNM

House

Membership[]

Conservative PLP[A] Total
Senate 18 24 42
House of Representatives 61 99 160

Gains:

Senate: PLP +8

House: PLP +29


Leadership[]

President of the Senate: Arthur Vandenberg (C), until January 29, 1936 [Ascended to presidency]

Speaker of the House: Clarence F. Lea (PLP)


4th Congress[]

January 3, 1937-January 3, 1939

4thWSSenateBNM

Senate

4thWSHouseBNM

House

Membership[]

Conservative PLP[A] Total
Senate 15 27 42
House of Representatives 49 111 160

Gains:

Senate: PLP +3

House: PLP +12


Leadership[]

President of the Senate: Joseph C. O'Mahoney (PLP)

Speaker of the House: Clarence F. Lea (PLP)


Lists[]

Presidents of the Senate: See here.



Speakers of the House of Representatives
No. Name Took Office Left Office State Party
1 Willis C. Hawley January 7, 1931 January 3, 1933 Oregon Nonpartisan
2 Clarence F. Lea January 3, 1933 (1939+) California Progressive-Liberal


Control[]


Senate
Congress Party in Control
1931-33 Nonpartisan
1933-35 Conservative
1935-37 Progressive-Liberal
1937-39 Progressive-Liberal

House of Representatives
Congress Party in Control
1931-33 Nonpartisan
1933-35 Progressive
1935-37 Progressive-Liberal
1937-39 Progressive-Liberal


Notes[]

A Progressive-Liberal Party